Purchased this Nikon 24mm 2.8 for a combination of coverage, optical quality, and lower price than Nikon's superb but more expensive 24mm 1.4 wide angle, for night time street and indoor event coverage. This lens preforms better than my 25 year old original Nikon 20mm 2.8 with less edge fall-off and much less edge distortion. I like the reduction in size and carrying weight of the 24mm 2.8 when used with a D600/D610 as a 24mm or as a 36mm coverage on my D7000/D7100 bodies. I am planning on replacing my 20mm 2.8 with Nikon's new 20mm 1.8 G lens that I have recently tested on my D600 and D7000/D71000 systems with stunning low light results, coverage for architectural interior use with the Nikon 24mm 2.8. I also do use a Nikon 10-24mm DX on my D7000/D7100 with excellent ambient light results and the Nikon 18-35mm FX Zoom on my D600 with excellent results. Light weight faster primes especially for low light wide angle landscape and architectural work just seem to be a very effective and are a lighter weight travel tool to add to my travel gear as compared to the heavier wide angle and fast stop telephoto zooms. The 24mm 2.8 is a classic lens with excellent build qualities that match its optical results at a reasonable price.

I bought this 24mm 2.8D because I shoot on the DX format. On DX this lens has a 36mm field of view which is perfect for general use. It works great for still life, landscapes, street photography and many other types of photography.

This lens is small and well balanced on any DSLR. Its also very sharp. At f2.8 this lens is great but stop it down to f4 or smaller and this lens comes into its own. The detail and color you can get with this little gem is impressive.

Being an AF-D lens you'll need a body with a built in AF motor if you want to auto focus with this lens. So if you own a D7000 or higher then you'll be fine. As for focus speed this lens is very quick. It has no trouble acquiring focus when you need it to. Also since this lens has CRC distortion is very well controlled. On my D7000 you really don't notice any distortion at all.

This lens is also great for video. If you own a D7000 or higher end body then you can enable the aperture control ring in the custom menu (Custom function f6 on the D7000). This will allow you to adjust the aperture while in live view and while shooting video. I also own the 50mm 1.8D as well. Both lenses are very sharp and work great for video. In my opinion AF-D prime lenses are great. They are very affordable, compact and still produce the goods when it comes to image quality. AF-D lenses are also well built.

Overall I'm very happy I bought the 24mm 2.8D. Its just an awesome prime lens that has a great field of view for my needs.

the greatest lens purchase ive ever made

PostedOctober 8, 2012

ant.nikon

I love this lens so much it is the only one I reccommend to all photographers. I found myself working for a newspaper having to take group shots at least once a week and had to make do with a 18-55mm kit lens, a 35mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.4. All fantastic lenses(yes even the kit lens, if you use it correctly) but I just wanted a wide prime that didn't distort and could work without flash in low light situations when needed. Enter the 24mm 2.8. For about a week I fought with myself back and forth about getting this or the 24mm 1.4 and couldn't justify the extra investment when I knew a 2.8 aperture on a wide angle was plenty. I ordered it online, it arrived within two days and from that day forward it's the main lens on my D700 60-70% of the time. Group shots are easy with this lens, vehicles and buildings can be shot beautifully with it and you can even do a few portraits if you are inventive( I use quite a bit of negative space when shooting portraits with it.). Don't waste your money on the faster 24mm or the 24-70mm zoom, great price for an amazingly versatile lens.

Perfect for walk-about

PostedAugust 10, 2010

Kruger

Location Vancouver,BC

Age 45-54

Favorite Subject Family & Friends

Experience 3-6 months

Role Occasional user, memory keeper

I bought my 24mm F/2.8D in L.A. for my D90 body. The lens performance has exceeded my expectations. The focusing is instantaneous and the image is clear and sharp. Simple to use and light to carry make this lens as my default. Now, I don't even have to be bother with changing into other lenses unless I needed to zoom. All in all, a great lens to have in the collection.

Awesome lens in use. Great balance of handling, weight, performance and speed. Have used this side by side for perhaps 30 years with the 24mm F/2.0 (AI& AIS).

Sharp, my samples, like razors at all distances, great color, and very contrasty. Much more snappy than any zoom. Compared to the 24mm f/2.0 AI, dosn't have quite the almost Zeiss like color transparency and lumiousity and purity, but also has contrast that approaches Leitz quality which the f/2.0 dose not. Indeed the 24mm f/2.8 has almost the sanp of such lenses. Maybe equal!

I love that "Snap" from Leitz which is why I still use them. But not here. This 24mm does has taken thier place!

Have heard reports of CAs and color fringing. Have seen that on my 85mm F/1.4 AF, which ultimately did rule that lens out for professional fashion work, in fact all pro work for me. But have not seen this on my 24mm samples. But I test all my lenses prior purchase because they due vary alot.

Use this side by side with the AI & AIS 24mm f/2.0s deciding strictly on contrast and color requirements for a particular task.

Almost bought the 24mm f1.4. Looks good on paper. But a beast which for me is a handicap. Worse, cannot use it on film. And now that I along with many I talk too, especially those in fashion and more so taking family baby pictures, are going back to film it is a requrement to be able to use on film cameras. Even feel for the price, kinda a jip not to be able to do so. In fact, angers me a bit.

Anyway, rest assured, this particular lens, the 24mm f/2.8 AF-D is one of my 3 prime mainstays. Others being the 50mm F/1.4 AIS & D ( though not that urgh new G lens which I don't like at all ) and my 105mm f/2.5s & DCs.

Now that my money wasting zoom festish is over and have dumped most of them, these three Nikkors account for 95% of all my very varied work.

Share:

+35points

Review 7 for AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

Overall rating

5/ 5

This is a fine, general purpose lens.

PostedAugust 2, 2010

Stomper

Location Midland City, Alabama

Age 55-65

Favorite Subject Nature

Nikon Family 11-20 years

Experience 3-6 months

Role Serious passion, hobbyist

I purchased this 24mm f/2.8 lens for use on my new D300s realizing that with the crop factor it would be equivilant to a 35mm lens. Even so, this is a very sharp fast lens for a general walk around lens. I use it with a Nikon clear filter and a Nikon metal hood. Light weight, easy to use, fast, sharp, inexpensive. What more could you want. I give it 5 stars.

Share:

+19points

Review 8 for AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

Overall rating

4/ 5

Good, but not great

PostedSeptember 29, 2011

D7000 shooter

Location Philadelphia, PA

Age 25-34

Favorite Subject Travel

Nikon Family 2-5 years

Experience 1-3 months

Role Serious passion, hobbyist

The lens is good, but not great. I also own the 35mm 1.8G and the 50mm 1.4G. In terms of image quality, both of these lenses are better than the 24mm 2.8D. At f2.8, the 24mm isn't as sharp as the 35 or 50mm. The sweet spot of the 24mm must be somewhere between f4 - f11, with f5.6 to f8 being ideal. The color and contrast of the 24 also isn't as good as the 35 and 50mm "G" lenses.

The good:Since I shoot with a D7000, the lens is equivalent to a 36mm, which makes it an excellent walk around lens, also good for environmental portraits, group shots, and even landscapes/cityscapes. The build quality is very good, small, and lightweight, so it's great for travel. Can't beat the price for a prime lens.

The not so good:As alluded to earlier, the sharpness, color, and contrast of the 24 2.8D is not as good as the newer "G" versions of the 35 or 50mm lenses. Auto-focusing of the 24 is only good in bright, or well lit settings. It tends to "hunt" in low light scenarios, at which point, I'm always forced to switch to manual focus. Finally, my biggest gripe about this lens is flaring. Very bad when there is any source of direct light, even the slightest amount of direct light. I doubt adding the HN-1 lens hood would be of any benefit because it's so short.

Summary:Overall, for the price you are paying, the 24mm f2.8d is a decent, quality lens that can be very good if your conditions are ideal. Shoot between f4 - f11 and as long as there is no direct light shining into the lens, and the overall environment you are shooting is bright, and your subject is well lit, the lens is very good. In most other circumstances, it can be quite average, especially in low light/night photography. If you want something better, the only option you have is the professional 24mm 1.4G lens at a whopping $2200 price tag. Now this is a GREAT pro lens.

I think Nikon should upgrade the 24mm 2.8D with the newer "G" version at a more affordable, consumer level price, and make it an f1.8G. Nikon has both the 35mm and 50mm 1.4G versions as well as the cheaper 35mm and 50mm 1.8G versions. Why can't they do the same for the 24mm?

Share:

+12points

Review 9 for AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

Overall rating

4/ 5

Optimum Prime

PostedDecember 18, 2010

DLGIMAGE

Location Pittsburgh, PA

Age 25-34

Favorite Subject Nature

Nikon Family 21+ years

Experience 6-12 months

Role Semi-professional photographer

Click on the image for close

Squirrel Hill's Finest

Click on the image for close

Oakland Neighborhood, Pittsburgh Pa, USA

This is an excellent wide angle lens thats great for dramatic portraits and dramatic perspective shots. I wish it was an f/2 but that issue is pretty my resolved with my D90. This lens will really help you get the most from your cameras sensor when shooting raw.

Quick focus and a generally sturdy lens due to the classic yet aging design.

Share:

+9points

Review 10 for AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

Overall rating

4/ 5

Sharp, light weight, and quick to focus.

PostedAugust 2, 2010

widenikonphotog

Location Athens, Oh

Age 18-24

Favorite Subject Portrait

Nikon Family 2-5 years

Experience More than a year

Role Semi-professional photographer

I've used both this 24mm f/2.8 AF-D prime and the 24-70 zoom lens and still prefer the prime on my camera. It's light, it won't weigh you down, and it's very responsive. It does have some CA problems because of it's lack of newer coatings/glass elements but it can be corrected in post easily with software. It doesn't have focus override either, but I still prefer it over the zoom because it's just as durable, quick and sharp, in a smaller package for less money. And unlike the zoom, it won't make you take lazy photos because you have to get close with this prime. It's worth more than you pay for it and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting an inexpensive, but quality wide angle prime.

As noted by a previous reviewer, this lens performs better on film than digital, but it's still quite usable for digital. It has some chromatic abberation around the edges which can be easily corrected in software. The edges can be a little soft too, but nothing I would consider bad.

Otherwise it's fairly small, lightweight, reasonably well built, still has an aperture ring for use on older cameras, and has a focal length that works well on both digital and film.

Share:

+4points

Review 12 for AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

Overall rating

3/ 5

Great on film, OK on digital

PostedJuly 30, 2010

BenW

Location Lansdale, PA

Age 25-34

Favorite Subject Nature

Nikon Family 6-10 years

Experience More than a year

Role Serious passion, hobbyist

I purchased the 24 f/2.8 AF-D for use with my F100 on film, and it quickly became one of my favorite lenses. Very sharp, solidly built, and an overall great performer. On a digital body (D70, D300) the 24mm shows red/blue chromatic aberration in the corners which is easily correctable in software. Center sharpness is excellent, and edges are good to very good in sharpness. 35mm equivalent angle of view on a DX body is not as useful for wide-angle landscapes.